Some existing commercial dual mode outdoor vacuums require a mounting plate to assemble a hose connection to the impeller inlet and to block the ground level intake when it is desired to convert the machine to the hose intake mode. This design is inconvenient, first because the mounting plate must be located and then assembled to the housing for the conversion, which is time consuming and inconvenient. Second, many times, the desired use of the hose takes only a few minutes, after which the vacuum must be re-converted to the ground pick-up mode.
The present invention converts the vacuum between the ground pick-up mode and the hose intake mode without having to locate additional parts, or remove parts from the vacuum, assembly or any additional parts to the vacuum. Moreover, the present invention permits the conversion and re-conversion to be accomplished simply, quickly and reliably with one activation lever, and without having to shut off the suction motor. Still further, the present invention provides a conversion mechanism which is simple and economical to manufacture, yet durable and reliable, while being readily accessible to, and easily and reliably operable by the operator in a single, simple and safe conversion procedure.
The present invention includes a main door or flap pivotally mounted within the deck of the vacuum and rotatable between a ground pick-up position and a hose intake position by means of a simple lever or other manual actuating device. A hose connector is mounted directly to the main door Oct. 3, 2003 on with a hose inlet aperture in the main door.
When the main door is in the ground pick-up position, the ground level intake is in direct air-flow communication with the impeller (i.e. suction or “vacuum” device), and the hose intake is closed by a second door pivotally mounted to the main door. The second door is spring-biased to close the hose inlet aperture in the main door when the main door is in the ground pick-up position.
When the actuator is moved to the hose intake position, the hose is in direct air-flow communication with the impeller, and the ground level intake is cut off from the suction source by the main door with the same conversion lever without any need to move additional actuators or assemble or detach parts. In the hose intake position, the second door is opened by an actuator located adjacent an intermediate opening located between the impeller and the ground level intake.
The hose connection between the deck and the flexible hose is mounted to and carried by the main door so that the hose connector is moved with the main door between the two operating positions, thereby simplifying and maintaining the seal between the hose connector and the suction source (i.e. impeller) when the machine is placed in the hose intake position.
The present invention thus provides a simple, economical, and yet reliable mechanism for converting a vacuum machine between the two desired modes of operation with a single actuator for placing the vacuum in both modes of operation and eliminating separate parts and mounting procedures.
Other features and advantages will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following description and drawings wherein like numerals will refer to the same element in the various views.